Tony Dungy – More than just a great Football coach, a real MentschAs an avid Baltimore Ravens fan, it is a little difficult for me to see the Indianapolis Colts play in the SuperBowl. However, it is not due to nostalgia that I will be rooting for the Colts on Sunday but because of their head coach Tony Dungy. In Yiddish the word "mentsch" is defined as "a person with integrity and concern for others". In my mind there is no coach or player in the NFL who embodies these characteristics more than Tony Dungy. While other coaches yell at the referees, abuse the press, swear at their players, Tony Dungy rises above this self deprecation and always remains stoic when marching the sidelines.
While other coaches appear arrogant, and full of themselves, Tony Dungy always makes sure that his press conferences and presentation are with poise and humility. In an era when the game has become more about fist pumping and self promotion he has been one of a few to coach with modesty and class. On February 4th lets not just celebrate the NFL's vast success and its long overdue integration of African-American head coaches. Let us celebrate the fact that the coach that might be holding the Lombardi trophy, is not only a fine human being, but a true mentsch.
- Cubicle King
Anybody who remembers the Colts leaving Baltimore would not root for Indianapolis, mentsch of a coach or not. And, while I do think it's great that 2 African American coaches are pitted against each other in the Superbowl, I believe that the media hype that it is getting only proves the point that there are racial stereotypes that need to be overcome. By pointing out what a novelty it is that 2 blacks are coaching in the superbowl, we are pointing out just that - it's a novelty. I think the best thing that can be done is to totally ignore the racial hype, like we actually EXPECTED it to happen.
ReplyDeleteFine. I won't root for the Colts if you don't root for the Ravens.
ReplyDeletesigned,
a Browns fan
Typical response from a misinformed, obviously casual, sports fan. In Cleveland, the city refused to improve a Cleveland Municipal Stadium that was in bad shape. Stay in Cleveland with a dying product and a dying stadium, or move? The city of Cleveland forced him to move...
ReplyDeleteAs for Irsay, in the middle of negotiations for a new stadium, he appeared drunk on TV and threatened to leave town. Baltimore, fearing this would happen, passed a bill allowing the seizing of the team under eminent domain. Irsay, afraid of losing his team, followed through with his drunken promise and whisked his team out of town unannounced, over night.
Signed,
an informed fan.
Alanlaz,
ReplyDeleteIn the bad old days, the late 50's, our Brooklyn Dodgers' owner, the evil Walter O'Malley (although it turns out that the city government was largely to blame!) took them away to LA.
So what happened?
Did we hate the Dodger players---no!
Did we hate Walter Alston, their manager---no!
Did we treat the Dodgers like dirt when they later came in to play the Mets---no!
Did we care that the LA players still were called Dodgers and still wore the same uniform except for the LA cap---no!
I regard this whole Baltimore obsession at this late date as pathological and stupid. It's not even the same Irsay anymore. Get a life. Let it go. Happily watch the Raven thugs play thugball.
Dungy is a class act, which was the actual theme of this thread until you soiled it.
Perpahs the REASON they left Brooklyn is because they had fans that wouldn't shed a tear if they left - think about that.
ReplyDeleteI'd say the Ravens are pretty well-behaved compared to other teams in the league.
Finally, my comment about a Baltimore fan rooting for the Colts was a sidepoint to the main idea about the media hype around the black coaches. Sorry to ruin yours and Ezzie's "class act" thread.
Believe me, Alanlaz, the Dodger fans shed many tears, but without this strange mania. The venom was really limited to O'Malley.
ReplyDeleteAlanLaz - that eminent domain thing is pretty important isn't it? The state was going seize Irsay's property. He might have been ready to leave without it (promised stadium improvements that never got done), but the state overreached and pushed him away.
ReplyDeleteI think what the NFL did expansion time in the early 90's was worse. The two best deals were the ones offered by Baltimore and St. Louis; those were the cities who deserved those teams. I don't know about St. Louis, but I'm guessing that Modell made sure that Baltimore didn't get the team because he was already eyeing it for himself. Maybe Georgia Frontiere thought the same thing.
Cubicle King - as I've blogged before Dungy brought a level of success to Tampa Bay but was fired for not getting them to the Superbowl. Gruden got them the title but they haven't been as consistent as the Colts in subsequent years. (Gruden for Dungy worked for the immediate short term; not the long term.) And I think you have feel good for Dungy getting his shot at the title now.
And then last year he suffered the worst possible personal loss. I feel good that now he gets a chance to be at the top of his profession. It won't bring back his son. But perhaps there will be a measure of comfort to him.
It was the way it was done; first, a drunken threat, then stealing the team overnight. He probably had no choice to leave, which is why I don't view him as Hitler as some people here do, but he could've done it in better way - he handled it like a sissy.
ReplyDeleteI was in Eretz Yisrael the year it happened and the team had been pathetic for years. So it didn't have the same effect on me that it had others. I don't remember the drunken threat; I wasn't there.
ReplyDeleteYes I know he was at fault for the pathetic performance of the team. But he also asked for improvements that were never delivered. Do I think that it's the government's job to give welfare to wealthy sports team owners? No, but when pushed they almost always do. And in Irsay's case Schaeffer wouldn't.
(I would have been happy if Ellen Sauerbrey had been elected in 1994 and the Browns/Ravens never would have come. I lived just fine for 10 years without football.)
I still believe that government was a lot more culpable in chasing the Colts out than is generally acknowledged. But it's true, I wasn't necessarily exposted to Irsay's bad behavior either.
Alanlaz-"they had fans who wouldn't shed a tear if they left."
ReplyDeleteYou've just rendered yourself incompetent as an authority on baseball history. Brooklyn fans were devestated when the Dodgers left-even today there are groups that work to try to bring back "dem Bums" from L.A. Few teams have meant as much to their city as the Dodgers meant to Brooklyn. Check out books like "The Boys of Summer" for verification on this.
Jewboy, I have never claimed to be an authority on baseball history. Wanna know where to lay a perfect suicide squeeze? I can tell you. Have a question about the rules, no problem. I'm no baseball historian - I was only going with what the commentor said. When someone makes a comment that Brooklyn natives weren't upset that their Dodgers were now called the LA Dodgers it tells me that they don't care too much. Perhaps your comments should be directed at "fan."
ReplyDeleteAlanlza-Perhaps. My comments were tongue in cheek. On the serious side, I think Fan was saying Dodger fans were upset but they didn't take the vindictness to the same level as Baltimore fans have. It could have to do with the inferiority complex that Baltimoreans in general struggle with.
ReplyDeleteI think I meant "vindictiveness" there. English skills failing me.
ReplyDeleteAlan - That is NOT what happened in Cleveland. Firstly, Cleveland sold over 80,000 tickets a game, selling out almost all. The only tickets that would occasionally not sell were onstructed view seats... and even those usually did. Second, the city did NOT refuse; they didn't have the money. MODELL is the one who offered the city the opportunity to make stadiums for the Cavs and Indians first... and their owners chipped in to the Gateway area (where Jacobs Field and the now Quicken Loans Arena are, along with the Science Center and Rock & Roll HOF). Suddenly, without much warning, Modell threatened to move under great protest, and then did so - and lost to season ticket holders in court for breach of contract (I should know, my father was and is one; I am one now). He then moved to a tiny stadium in Baltimore... which STILL could not sell out. (HA!)
ReplyDeleteIt didn't help that Modell made a number of brainless football decisions in the last few years before the move.
BTW, it is for these reasons and many others that the Browns retained their history and colors. Part of the deal allowing the Modell Browns/Ravens to leave was the promise of retention of history/colors, promise of a new team within 5 years, and promise of the NFL chipping in to the new stadium.
SD, AL - I'm pretty sure that Modell had a role in Balto's not getting a team; he plays a major role in owners' meetings.
I think it's pretty clear that one's opinion on Modell's motivations will be based on whether one is from Baltimore or Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteEzzie,
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean that the Ravens don't sell out? The Orioles don't.
As far as Modell sinking Baltimore's chances at an expansion franchise, it's more than just how influential he was among the owner. The ownership group that competed for the franchise was headed by the late Alf Lerner who had been a friend of Modell's and, I think, a minority owner of the Browns. After the expansion episode was over, the two had a falling out. I don't know why, but I suspect that Lerner was gung-ho to own a team and felt betrayed when he realized that the NFL never intended to award one of franchises to Baltimore. It's a suspicion; nothing more. But it would explain something else that happened.
I think it's pretty clear that one's opinion on Modell's motivations will be based on whether one is from Baltimore or Cleveland.
ReplyDeleteNo, I think we all agree on his motivations: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!!
But in general, we all know to trust Clevelanders. After all, people from Baltimore are... well, BaltiMorons. :)
SD - Actually, Lerner was upset about the Browns' move, even though he stood on the podium (unhappily) when it was announced. That's one of the reasons he ended up buying the new Browns, IIRC.
"I think Fan was saying Dodger fans were upset but they didn't take the vindictiveness to the same level as Baltimore fans have."
ReplyDeleteExactly!!